News Break
by Jedipati
Summary: Dean learns that Sam is the ruler of Hell.  He's not sure he believes it, especially considering the messenger.  But just in case... well, he's still a big brother, you know.  Another installment in the "Heaven, Hell, and A Mechanic" universe.


_Title:_ News Break

_Wordcount:_ 1647

_Rating:_ PG

_Characters:_ Dean, Meg, mentions of Sam, OCs for flavor

_Summary:_ Dean learns that Sam is the ruler of Hell. He's not sure he believes it, especially considering the messenger. But just in case… well, he's still a big brother, you know. Another installment in the "Heaven, Hell, and A Mechanic" universe.

_Spoilers/Warning:_ All five seasons, none for season six.

_AN_: This is another story in the Heaven, Hell, and a Mechanic verse. This universe has rapidly become my feel good, everything gets better universe. Huh. Pretty good for something that started out with just the one silly little humor fic.

And again, thanks go to **viridian_magpie** for the very, very quick beta work.

* * *

Joseph Adamson sat back and watched his newest mechanic as the man worked on a Mustang. Dean Smith seemed to be a perfectly ordinary guy. Even his name was ordinary. He drove a perfectly maintained '67 Impala. He'd just moved in with Lisa Braeden and was happily learning how to be a father to Ben, her son. On the quiet street where both the Braedens and Joe lived, Dean was becoming well known as an efficient repairman (he accepted payments in dessert; pie was his favorite). After barely a week at the garage, he was gaining a reputation of being able to fix any car. So, thanks to him, the garage was getting more business.

All that seemed normal. Dean, however, hated anything to do with church and would swear and stomp for hours if someone claimed anything had something to do with angels.

Joe was starting to suspect that "Smith" wasn't Dean's real name, but since Dean was such a good worker, he wasn't going to look into it.

Dean had some interesting contacts, too. He knew a junkyard owner in South Dakota who was able to find almost any rare part within a week.

Joe had put Bobby Singer on the list of parts suppliers when the man had come up with a part for a 1964 Mustang hardtop after only an hour.

And then there were the people Dean obviously knew well, even if no one could figure out _how_ he knew them.

People like the Brit whose visits never failed to provoke a torrent of curses from Dean (some of which were in what Joe thought was Latin, of all things).

Dean looked up from the Mustang as a young woman Joe didn't recognize stepped into the garage.

Dean, apparently, did. "What the Hell are you doing here?" he spat as he pulled his hands away from the engine, still holding the wrench.

"Cool your jets, Deano, just delivering a message," the woman said.

"Yeah, right, Meg," Dean said. "Last time I saw you…" he trailed off. There was raw pain in his eyes, Joe wasn't sure he wanted to know what happened.

"Yeah, well, things change," Meg said. She glanced around. "You're off limits, you know?" she said, seemingly apropos of nothing.

Dean scoffed quietly.

Meg closed her eyes for a second. "Fine, you arrogant little…" she strangled her words. "Sam told me to come here. He hasn't been able to get topside yet, but he told me to come tell you that he's fine."

Dean froze. He didn't appear to even be breathing.

"Sam is gone," he finally said. "He's trapped, and nothing can change that."

"And that's where you're wrong, Dean," Meg said. She glanced around. "Can we talk privately?"

Dean snorted. He glanced at Joe. "Can we use the office?" he asked.

Joe narrowed his eyes. "She an old girlfriend?" he asked.

Dean gagged. "God, no," he said. "Just…"

Joe sighed. "Fine, I'll take over on the car. You're about due for a fifteen, anyway."

"Thanks, Joe," Dean said. He turned to Meg. "Alright, what do you want to say to me?" he asked as he led her into the little office and closed the door behind them. He turned and opened the blinds so that Joe could watch them, though he couldn't hear them.

Meg started talking. Joe couldn't read lips, but whatever she was saying was hitting Dean hard. He sat down and stared at her.

* * *

Dean kept a firm grip on the wrench as he waved Meg into the office ahead of him. He opened the blinds and made sure he kept in Joe's line of sight. He wasn't sure what good that would do when Meg attacked him, but he did it anyway.

Meg seemed more amused than anything.

"So, what do you want?" Dean snapped once the silence got to be too much.

Meg rolled her eyes. "I told you; Sam sent me. And really, is this what you're going to do the rest of your life? Try to be normal? Not even try to go after Sam?"

"He asked me not to," Dean growled. "He wanted me to live a normal life. Not that you'd care. And what do you mean, Sam sent you?"

Meg sighed. "Damn it, I want to torment you, torture you, but I'm not allowed!" she exclaimed.

Dean blinked.

"You have no idea what's going on downstairs, do you?"

"How could I?" Dean asked.

"Sam is ruling down there," Meg said. "He landed in the right place in Hell, and he says that Lucifer and Michael are trapped in the cage. He's Lord of Hell now that Lucifer is gone."

Dean froze. "That's not- that's impossible. He'd have to run the…"

"It's very possible, Deano," Meg said. "He and your half brother- is that Adam really your half brother?"

"Yes," Dean said numbly.

"Well, they're both angel free. No one knows where Lord Lucifer and his brother are."

Dean couldn't believe her. He didn't dare get his hopes up. "Why didn't he come himself?" Dean asked.

Meg snorted. "Sam's in the middle of trying to stop a rebellion down there," she said. "He's doing a pretty good job of it, too. Unfortunately, he's had some issues solidifying his rule. But that's nearly finished, and he wanted to let you know he's fine."

"So why send you?" Dean asked. Honestly. Didn't Sam know better? Didn't the demons know better?

Meg rolled her eyes. "You Winchesters are way too paranoid."

"They're out to get us, it's not paranoia," Dean retorted.

"Fine. Sam told me you might ask. He said, and I quote, 'she's a bitch, and I hate her, but I know her well enough to know that she'll follow someone who can give her power. And I'll kill her if she tries anything.' Happy now?"

"No," Dean said.

"Too bad," Meg said. "Anyway…"

"How the Hell- no pun intended- did Sam end up as the Lord of Hell. He'd have to have run the Gauntlet. And he's not that-"

"He did," Meg interrupted. "He didn't even realize what he was doing until after he did it. He's not said how, but he blundered in there before anyone knew he was in Hell. Then he carried Adam out."

"Carried?"

"Adam was unconscious from the possession at the time," Meg dismissed his question as unimportant. "Anyway, he says he's fine."

"Good," Dean said. He knew this could be a lie, but it was almost too enticing not to believe. Well, he'd pretend to believe it for now.

He sat back. "So, Sammy ended up as the one thing he didn't want to be?"

Meg laughed. "He did," she said. "But he's making changes. Oh, not too many, but in a few millennia, Hell is going to be very different. I don't like it."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "But you're not going to do anything about it," he said. "And if you do… well, I still have the Colt. And the knife. And I can always remember what Alistair taught me."

Meg straightened. "Are you threatening me?"

"Promising," Dean said. "If you try anything to hurt Sam or Adam, then you can bet that Alistair's last apprentice will find you. You'll beg for me to use the Colt. Oh, spread the word down in Hell for me, will you?" He smiled coldly.

Meg stared at him and shivered once. "You wouldn't do that." she said, though she didn't sound completely sure.

"For Sammy? Yes I would," Dean purred. "And believe me; I'd love to do it to you on principle. You're lucky Sam needs you right now."

She winced. "I understand," she said.

"Oh, and if I need to, I'll call Cas down to help," Dean said. "Just… make sure every demon knows that your Lord has an overprotective big brother, and I'll happily take out all of you if I need to."

Meg stared at him. "I'll make sure everyone knows," she promised.

"Good," Dean said. He sat back. After a moment, he relaxed. "So, really, how is Sam? And Adam, for that matter?"

Meg rolled her eyes. "I told you, they're fine. Sam's worried that you were going to do something stupid, but I'll tell him that you're not. Adam's interesting. A Winchester, no doubt, but how did we not know about him?"

Dean grinned. If she didn't know that, then he wasn't going to be the one to tell her. He shrugged. "Considering how much you all knew about us, I'm surprised," he said. "Anyway, no one's seen the archangels? Michael and Lucifer, I mean."

"Sam has," Meg said. "He goes somewhere every few weeks and talks to them. He won't tell us where they are. I think he's worried that we'll try to free them."

Dean blinked before sighing. "That's right; it's been, what, five years down there?"

"Nearly six," Meg said.

Dean nodded. "And does Adam know?"

Meg shook her head. "No," she said. Dean glanced at the clock behind her as someone knocked on the door.

Joe stuck his head in. "Dean, your fifteen is up," he said.

"Right," Dean said. He stared at Meg for a moment before the demon snorted. "Aright, I'm gone," she said. "I'll tell Sam you said 'hi', how about?"

"Tell him I said he'd better come visit as soon as he can," Dean said.

Meg laughed and sauntered out the door. Dean got up and watched as she left the garage.

After a moment, he noticed that Joe was watching him. "So, who was that?"

"An old enemy," Dean said. "But we've got other, common enemies now. And she's working for my brother, apparently." He grinned. "That must be fun to watch, if she's telling the truth."

"Can't you just call your brother and ask him?"

"It's complicated," Dean replied. He grinned. "But if I can, believe me I will."

* * *

So, I wrote_ Reunion_, and then I had a burning desire to find out how Dean and Meg's conversation went. I did not expect Dean to threaten to go Alistair's apprentice on Meg like that. But… yeah, in this universe, I can see him doing that. I hope you all enjoyed it, including the OC outsider POV at the beginning.

And yes, the Brit Dean keeps cussing out is Crowley.


End file.
